Was Althusser accused of being deterministic?
Indeed, my critics often accused me of economic determinism and of neglecting the agency of individuals. I countered this by clarifying that while the economy is the ultimate determinant 'in the last instance,' social formations are complex and possess relative autonomy. The effectiveness of ISAs, for instance, highlights how ideology plays a crucial role in shaping subjects, which is not a simple, direct mechanistic determination. The theory aims to understand the complex interplay of structures.
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